Down the Rabbit Hole

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, `and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice `without pictures or conversation?’

So she was considering in her own mind (as well as she could, for the hot day made her feel very sleepy and stupid), whether the pleasure of making a daisy-chain would be worth the trouble of getting up and picking the daisies, when suddenly a White Rabbit with pink eyes ran close by her.

There was nothing so VERY remarkable in that; nor did Alice think it so VERY much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself, `Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!’ (when she thought it over afterwards, it occurred to her that she ought to have wondered at this, but at the time it all seemed quite natural); but when the Rabbit actually TOOK A WATCH OUT OF ITS WAISTCOAT- POCKET, and looked at it, and then hurried on, Alice started to her feet, for it flashed across her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket, or a watch to take out of it, and burning with curiosity, she ran across the field after it, and fortunately was just in time to see it pop down a large rabbit-hole under the hedge.
from Alice in Wonderland”

The rabbit hole began its figurative life as a conduit to a fantastical land. Back in 2004, when the internet was in its infancy, rabbit holes began to appear everywhere! The Soul Food Cafe was one, quite unique site, that provided secret passages into the fantastical world of Lemuria. Remarkably, just as Alice freely entered the rabbit hole, the people who stumbled upon this chaotic, nonsensical world, were prepared to pop through a secret ‘rabbit-hole’ portal.

Seeking to reclaim their imagination and warm the stone artist, pilgrims responded to the piper’s call. They packed their bags and left, hoping to discover a divine, ancient road, peopled with many travellers. They joined a gypsy caravan, took up residence in the Lemurian Abbey and Riversleigh Manor, and discovered that the road twisted and wound endlessly. They rejoiced at meeting L’Enchanteur, the Amazon Queen, Baba Yaga, a Hermit, a Mystic, Gypsy Travellers, Fortune Tellers, a Bath-house Madame, Gusari, a Sacred Warrior Knight, the Mistress of the Wardrobe and many more. When Lori Gloyd arrived at Riversleigh she had an unpleasant encounter with Avilla, her inner critic. Management helped sort that out very quickly.

Like Alice, travellers found themselves wound up in a convoluted environment. Invariably they spent more time in Lemuria than they ever anticipated, couldn’t find a way out, and when they did finally exit, emerged rather dazed. Much the same could be said of Dorothy in Oz and of a great many others characters transported—by cyclone, wardrobe, mirror, or tollbooth—to mysterious lands. Few have regrets that they went!

While Waiting

On the basis that things Grow by Delay I began killing time by doing a spot of sniff mapping around Central Victoria with my two dogs. While my companions and I waited for Godotto provide some direction, magic has taken place. When we slow down, connect with the country and create a nurturing environment, the blossom turns to fruit and the wheat ripens. Forks in the road appear that take us in exciting new directions.

Soul Food Constellation

The Soul Food Cafe, built by Heather Blakey, was inhabited by an international group of writers and artists whose global mission was to promote writing and art-making as a daily practice through the use of interactive web-based technologies such as blogging and e-mail groups. While Waiting for Godot is a branch of this complex site.

Soul Food remains a wonderful resource. Using the Wayback Machine link you can access all the features of this quirky world.

Finnish Lapphunds

The Finnish Lapphund is a hardy, easy going, medium-size breed of Spitz type. Traditionally this dog has been engaged to help herd reindeer. Although it is one of the most popular dog breeds in its native country, Finland, it is not very numerous outside of the Nordic countries. Lapphunds are not common in Australia but an increasing number have found their way here.

Contact While Waiting for Godot

heatherblakey@fastmail.fm

Acknowledgement of Country

Anika, Archie and I acknowledge that we are on Jaara country, and that the members and elders of the Dja Dja Warrung community and their forebears have been custodians of this land for many centuries, performing age-old ceremonies of celebration, initiation and renewal. We acknowledge their living culture and their unique role in the life of this nation. We pay respect to the elders past and present of the Dja Dja Warrung nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.